000
NOUS44 KLZK 231203
PNSLZK
ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-232000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 AM CST THU FEB 23 2012

...TODAYS TOPIC FOR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS 
LIGHTNING...

ARKANSAS GOVERNOR MIKE BEEBE HAS PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF
FEBRUARY 20TH THROUGH 24TH AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK
IN ARKANSAS.

A DIFFERENT TOPIC WILL BE DISCUSSED EACH DAY...AND TODAYS TOPIC
IS LIGHTNING.

LIGHTNING IS A HAZARD IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS...WHETHER THEY ARE 
SEVERE OR NOT. WHILE THUNDER FRIGHTENS MANY PEOPLE...IT IS THE 
LIGHTNING THAT CAUSES DEATHS...INJURIES...AND DAMAGE. 
REMEMBER...IT IS THE LIGHTNING THAT PRODUCES THUNDER. THIS 
HAPPENS DUE TO THE RAPID HEATING AND COOLING OF THE AIR NEAR THE 
LIGHTNING. THE AIR NEAR A LIGHTNING STRIKE IS HEATED TO 
50 THOUSAND DEGREES FAHRENHEIT...WHICH IS HOTTER THAN THE SURFACE 
OF THE SUN. SO...WHENEVER THUNDER IS HEARD...DANGER IS PRESENT.

IN ARKANSAS IN 2011...LIGHTNING KILLED ONE PERSON AND INJURED
FOUR OTHERS.

ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS...MOST LIGHTNING DEATHS AND INJURIES 
TYPICALLY OCCUR WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS.

LIGHTNING OFTEN STRIKES OUTSIDE OF HEAVY RAIN...AND MAY OCCUR AS 
FAR AS 10 MILES OR MORE AWAY FROM ANY RAINFALL. BECAUSE OF THESE 
LIGHTNING STRIKES AT A DISTANCE...MOST LIGHTNING DEATHS OCCUR 
WHEN A THUNDERSTORM IS JUST MOVING IN...OR AS IT IS MOVING AWAY.

THE RUBBER SOLES OF SHOES WILL NOT PROTECT YOU FROM LIGHTNING...
NOR WILL THE RUBBER TIRES ON YOUR CAR. HOWEVER...THE STEEL FRAME 
OF A HARD-TOP VEHICLE DOES PROVIDE A SAFETY-CAGE EFFECT THAT WILL 
DIRECT THE LIGHTNING FROM THE VEHICLES FRAME INTO THE GROUND. 
JUST KEEP THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND DO NOT TOUCH ANY METAL INSIDE 
THE VEHICLE.

IF A PERSON IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...THAT PERSONS BODY WILL NOT
RETAIN ANY ELECTRICAL CHARGE. THUS...THE INJURED PERSON CAN AND
SHOULD BE CARED FOR IMMEDIATELY.

HEAT LIGHTNING...AS IT IS SOMETIMES CALLED...IS INDEED CAUSED 
BY A THUNDERSTORM...NOT JUST HEAT. HEAT LIGHTNING IS ACTUALLY 
JUST LIGHTNING VERY DISTANT FROM WHERE THE PERSON IS 
SEEING IT...TOO FAR AWAY FOR THUNDER TO BE HEARD.

...SOME LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES...

REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE IN DANGER FROM
LIGHTNING. GO TO SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. YOU SHOULD MOVE TO A STURDY
BUILDING OR GET INSIDE A HARD-TOP CAR...KEEP THE WINDOWS ROLLED
UP...AND DO NOT TOUCH METAL INSIDE THE CAR.

DO NOT TAKE SHELTER IN SMALL SHEDS...UNDER ISOLATED TREES...OR IN
CONVERTIBLE CARS.

STAY AWAY FROM HIGHER ELEVATIONS...SUCH AS HILLTOPS. AVOID NEARBY
POLES AND TOWERS.

STAY AWAY FROM CHAIN-LINK FENCES...AND OTHER METAL FENCES SUCH AS
THOSE AROUND BALLPARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS. STAY AWAY FROM 
CLOTHESLINES AS WELL.

MOTORCYCLES...SCOOTERS...BICYCLES...AND FARM TRACTORS ARE NOT 
SAFE PLACES.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WATER...GET OUT IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN A 
BOAT...HEAD TOWARD SAFE HARBOR.

TELEPHONE LINES AND METAL PIPES CAN CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. UNPLUG 
ANY APPLIANCES NOT NECESSARY TO RECEIVE WEATHER INFORMATION. 
COMPUTERS AND OTHER EXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT MAY BE DAMAGED 
BY POWER SURGES. DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. DO NOT USE 
CORDED PHONES...EXCEPT IN EMERGENCIES.

STAY OUT OF THE BATHTUB OR SHOWER.

GET OFF THE GOLF COURSE.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WOODS...TAKE SHELTER UNDER THE SHORTER TREES.

&&

FOR A LIST OF ALL THE TORNADOES AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN 2011...

HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/IMAGES/LZK/PDF/STORMSOF2011.PDF

$$

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